Infection is a primary concern in healthcare settings. Nosocomial infections are infections that originate in a hospital or a healthcare service unit, often the result of infectious microorganisms entering the body through open wounds, skin lesions or incisions, or mucous membranes. Microorganisms including harmful bacteria can cause infections in the body when they traverse the protective layers of the skin. There can be increased susceptibility to infection where skin ulceration exists or where the dermal layers are breached, such as catheter insertion sites in skin. When infections occur, they can cause significant morbidity and mortality thus increasing both the cost of healthcare and the length of hospitalization.
Catheters are placed into the body for many reasons. It is well known in the medical arts that the skin or other entrance points must be thoroughly disinfected prior to the introduction of any catheter, e.g., through the skin. It is also common practice to place a sterile, adhesive flexible membrane over the catheter insertion site to further protect against microorganism infection at the catheter entry site. It can be difficult, however, to maintain sterility at catheter insertion sites over a length of time. Despite ongoing infection prevention and intervention measures, nosocomial infections originating from catheterization procedures remain a serious healthcare problem.
Some infection prevention measures include completely changing the overlying catheter dressings and disinfecting the insertion site with chemical disinfectants or sterilizing agents. These procedures can increase the chances of dislodging the underlying catheter, however, and can additionally cause harm to the skin and blood vessels. Furthermore yet, some patients react unfavorably to chemical disinfectants through allergic reactions or irritation.